This week, my podcast partner (Russell Faust, M.D.) and I talk about the 3 most important pages of your website.  The Home, About and Contact page are fundamental in turning a casual reader into your next patient.  It’s the first step in patient engagement.

How good are your 3 pages?

This post mirrors this week’s podcast on Russ and Randy where we discuss The 3 Most Important Page of Your Website.

The Home Page

In real estate, realtors want your front door to be representative and inviting.  So true is your home page.  The Home page must quickly convey your essential message about the goods and services that you provide.

The average person landing on a site decides in fewer than 3 seconds whether or not to click away or in Internet terms, “bounce” to another site.

A great home page should use a combination of graphics, images and text to quickly convey your main message and should do so “above the fold,” that is, your reader should not have to scroll down the page to realize your main message.

As a doctor, I know the temptation is to “wow” your reader with all your expertise, knowledge and experience, but this can really clutter a Home page and blur your message.  Try to be concise.

The About Page

If your reader (your next patient) likes what is on your Home page, the next logical step is to find out more about you and your practice.  The About page is your opportunity to describe who you are as a physician, as a person and perhaps your practice philosophy.  Great questions to answer here are;

• What attracted you to medicine?
• What you love about your practice?
• What do you like to do when not a doctor?
• What are the goals of your practice?

You may also choose to introduce some of the key staff members who are likely to spend time with your next patient at their appointment.  This is a great opportunity to start a relationship between your potential next patient and your staff – nothing bonds faster than seeing a “familiar” face when a new patient arrives in a new office.

The About page is not to be limited to just “you,” in fact, the About page should be “About the Practice.”

The Contact Page

“Contact Us” gives your next patient the opportunity to schedule an appointment.  The Home page attracts attention, the About page informs about the practice and the Contact page is the call to action (CTA).

It is common to list a phone, fax, address and email.  Do not list an email if you do not use email or no one checks the office email regularly.  Just list the contact information with which you are comfortable.

The Home, About and Contact page, if used successfully should enable you to convert casual readers into your next patient!